Coastal or Christmas - I Staged This Armoire Twice

     I thought it might be fun to stage this armoire two different ways. I'm often asked how I choose what to use in my photos and also, where I find my inspiration. So, below were my choices...coastal and Christmas. 

Introducing...No. 2 in my series, Perfectly Imperfect. 

I love contrast.  I always use something shiny with rustic items. I also like to use "white" space as real space to create balance. Above, I used pine cones and a mercury glass jar to create this texture. Below, the marble vase keeps the curly willow branch from going too rustic.

     I used paint from General Finishes for the exterior of this piece. The colors I combined were Summertime Blue, Midnight Blue and Halycon Blue. 

     Now, I normally would NEVER bust out Santa this early in the year 

( don't curse me ). However, I just knew my favorite Santa would look so good with this armoire.  I had to get it out and stage it up.  I have already put it all back up, though. I'm one to roll my eyes at the stores filling their shelves already with Christmas decorations.  I'm old school and prefer to see all of this AFTER Thanksgiving! The rest of the decor were the ones "left behind". You know the ones...they get looked over when you clean up your holiday decor. I will find these days after and instead of getting back in the attic, I shove them in a cabinet. 

     Who else loves this pop of color inside? I don't usually paint the interior but this piece needed it.  Before, it was sort of a dark hole and this pop was a huge compliment to the shades of blue.  I actually sold this armoire already...Yea! 

     As much as I don't want to admit, the Christmas photos of this piece are my favorites but I promise, Santa is going back in the closet for a few more weeks.

These are the colors I used. I love making a mess with paint! 

Am I alone?

You guys have yourself a wonderful evening and we will chat soon.

~Dionne

Your Two Cents and Perfectly Imperfect - No. 1 in My Newest Series

"Ask and ye shall receive." 

     Right? I asked and you all were so generous with your two cents. Just so you understand, I took your thoughts and generous comments to heart and read each one multiple times. The decision to teach painting classes has been a real struggle for me and if you know me personally, I've most likely asked your opinion. 

Thank you all very much.  Thank you for taking precious time out of your day to continue following and supporting me. These comments were just a few of many left by my awesome Facebook  followers. 

I completely understand all your hesitations to teach. I can share with you what Maria Revollo's response was when I took her class to teach her Bermuda Blending technique. We asked her why she wanted to share her "secrets" with us. She said that even though she is teaching us the technique, the things we create will still all be different because we will apply them with our own artistic eye. Those are not her words exactly, but basically she said artists are all unique in their visions and preferences and no one will ever do her technique the same way she does it. Just like no one would ever be able to exactly replicate what you do, even if you show them how you do it. Hope that is helpful! Good luck with whatever you decide!

Teaching WOULD take a lot of time and energy. ..and still some peeps couldn't get it...do what your doing and charge the big bucks....it will be quiet in your studio (just you ) and your thoughts not a bunch of peeps asking questions...hook up with Joanna Gains and be her go to gal....more $$$ in that...plus you might have to sell paint...and that can be a pain....my two cents. ...love your work...keep it mysterious. ...wink wink...

Love this!! Just read you're post! Completely understand! You definitely learn by time, experience, trial and error.... Etc.... But someone like me would love to be able to see your work/technique in action... Not to copy but to hopefully to add some small tid bit and incorporate in my small world... You are a true artist and they can not be copied!! But you may be able to help others expand and strengthen their skills just a touch!

If you missed my last post, you can read it HERE.

When I decide to "flip a coin", you all will be the first to know!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, let's get to the fun stuff. This is the first in my series, 

Perfectly Imperfect. 

"I never expect to see a perfect work from an imperfect man."

~Alexander Hamilton 

     The older I get the more this becomes true, true of myself and true of the world around me.  I tried many years to be perfect. I'm so happy to finally understand no one else expected it or really even wanted me to be.  Those were my own standards, ones I often lived up to and more often did not.  As my own children are getting older, I often point out my flaws to them, no shame or guilt involved, though. I want to make sure they see me for who I really am. I'm perfectly imperfect and that's pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. 

 
     I'm excited about this series. It won't really be anything different than what you've seen me do before but it will be filled will heart, uniqueness and originality. This is the first piece, a sweet charming little cedar chest.

Yes, those are paint cans hanging on the wall. 

It's imperfect art - Can you hang?

I used all CeCe Caldwell's paints for this furniture makeover. The base color is Thomasville Teal.  I accented with Sante Fe Turquoise, Sedona Red and Carolina Sun Yellow. 

This piece is currently available on my website, The Turquoise Iris.

Here is a sneak peek at No. 2 --

I'm off to enjoy these Fall temps!

~Dionne

To Teach or Not To Teach and The Final Piece in My Series, Summer Sunsets

So, should I teach furniture painting or not?

Let me get back to that question in a minute.

     Being the first day of Fall, I think this is the perfect piece to post today. It's a warm transition with not only "sunset" colors but the various shades we begin to see this time of the year. This buffet is the fifth and final piece in my series titled, Summer Sunsets.  If you missed any of the others, you can see them here, No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4.

     I put together a little video highlighting this series. What is it about music that turns photographs into videos.  I had so much fun. Watch the video I made here.  Or, you can watch all three of my movies here on youTube.

I used Persimmon and Patina Green from General Finishes  paint line. They pair together so well, don't you think? I've mentioned using complimentary colors before and it's always a good idea to do so. 

     This buffet is not available. My sweet friend brought it to me and gave me direction with colors and I went from there.  Her husband is giving it to her as a birthday gift...several brownie points in my book! 

Now, let me get back to the second part of this post. 

Image from Pinterest

     Well, don't we all wish it were that simple? Just flip the coin! Do it!
I mean really? What decision is EVER that simple? 

     I keep reading this, though, and I'm thinking about ways we all make our decisions.  We get "opinions". We ask our friends and family, "what would you do?" We listen, consider and are often more confused than before. However, there is the gut feeling - you know the one. You may not want it to be true.  It may be the scary one, the unknown one. 

This is a question I've thought about, talked about and 

stewed over for months. 

Do I teach furniture painting or not? 

     Daily, I get asked if I teach classes, post how-to tutorials or would I do a one-on-one lesson in furniture painting. My reply is always the same. I don't teach at this time. I really don't know when I would find the extra time it takes to teach but thank you for the inquiry. There's a part of me that thinks, "No way, I'm too shy to stand among my peers and teach anyone anything!" Another part of me thinks, "Where would I even do this and who would really pay me to do this?" Lastly, I have to admit, I say "Why would I teach people to do what I do? This is how I make my living.  This is my business, my day to day routine and I love it".

     I have never taken a painting lesson or class. I've never had any training at all in photography, staging or marketing.  Here I am, though, happily knee deep, learning and figuring it all out.  I've painted some not so pretty pieces of furniture and made multiple mistakes along the way. 

     So, let me ask you all.  Is it best to learn on your own? Are you better off by taking your time, creating and developing your passion? I now consider myself an artist - an artist who has just "figured it out" - no lessons involved. Don't get me wrong, I still have SO MUCH to learn and that's my point exactly. I love that I'm learning every day.  I love that with every stroke of color, I get to make one step further to my goals. 

So, when I'm asked to do tutorials or classes, I still don't know.  I'm still pondering the best direction for my business.  In the grand scheme of things, maybe I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill.  It really isn't rocket science ( sorry for multiple cliches ) but, maybe I  just need to flip the darn coin and stop thinking. 

~Dionne

She Inspires Me - My Personal Favorites

"Creativity Takes Courage"

~henri matisse

This is so true, right? When I'm feeling creative but lacking on courage, I grab my phone and head to social media.  There are a few ladies that keep me inspired by their courage, their ability to be successful while remaining unique. One particular gal stands out, always the first I turn to. Barb Blair with Knack. She had me at hello. The following image is Barb's, from a few years back. Barb hooked me in and has kept me reading every word she writes including her published books titled, Furniture Makes the Room and Furniture Makeovers. She is a creative genius, and I just love her.

I also get a huge kick out of Deann with Deann's Designs. She uses a palette knife to create the most gorgeous works of art. They are often very simple but clear, vivid and so refreshing.  I'm especially smitten with her church series. I'm in love with old churches and she brings them to life with her paint. See what I mean?

It's so amazing to have a group of women I can follow and admire.  They don't just share their talent with us, they share themselves...their vision. I for one, am so grateful for the continued inspiration they provide.  If you are not already, go follow them, take a look at their past works and tell them how awesome they are.  

Now, to this new piece I just listed. It's my fourth piece from the Summer Sunsets series. I added more blue and plum to this one and I am very happy with it.

Below is one of the many images that I have pinned on my Pinterest page. 

Inspiration photo from Pinterest

 

I used paints from CeCe Caldwell's paints again for this makeover.  The creamy rich texture is so wonderful to use. They have a metallic wax that really brought this series to life. 

This piece is listed Here on my site, www.theturquoiseiris.com. 

The little sailboat painting is mine as well. I'm playing around with different ideas but was thinking about listing the painting on my site. Painting on a canvas is so different than painting on furniture but the excitement I feel during the process is the same. 

It's just about to be Fall and I need to start planning a new series.  Anyone have a suggestion?

Have a great weekend,

Dionne 

Conviction or Mainstream? I'm Learning With Every New Piece

{ Conviction }

Every great oak tree started out as a couple of 

nuts who stood their ground. 

~anonymous

So, I think I've reached a turning point with my business plan. I've been trying to create my own "brand", my original look and style for awhile. Once I decided to paint with conviction and not necessarily mainstream, I noticed an increase in my sales.  Growth in my social media has really taken off and I'm absolutely having the time of my life. 

"Sunsets are proof that no matter 

what happens, 

every day can end beautifully." 

My family knows that I am a lover of sunsets, always have been.  My youngest son is especially in tune with my love for the evening sun.  He loves being the one to bring the sky to my attention. He makes me so proud.  I want both of my kids to notice the little things in life that we sometimes take for granted. The colors are breathtaking and I really tried to capture those here with this makeover.

Here is my third piece in this series, Summer Sunsets. I went more literal with this one. It wasn't necessarily my plan but once I started, it evolved pretty quickly.  The colors layered so well and blending just made the sunset come alive. 

Below is my inspiration image. Love, Love, Love.

Pinterest image from art.com

I used paint from CeCe Caldwell's  again for this piece. I gathered up Middleton Mustard, Pueblo Pepper, Blue Montana Sky and Loomis Eggplant. You can see some pink in there too but that color was just left on the brush I used ( because that's how I roll ). The Canyon Copper metallic wax was the obvious choice for this finish. I just used it to highlight a few areas. 

I've had a few people suggest the blue on the bottom right looks like trees and foliage. I didn't see that at first but isn't that amazing?!?! I love that someone could see something I didn't. 

This compliment from a reader blew me away. 

She wrote, "I have to say, you are probably the most inspiring furniture refinishing artist I have come across. You have inspired me more than anyone else I have seen. I was in such a slump at my own shop with all my projects piling up. I have for sure had creators block and you have brought of my slump. Thank you."

Are you kidding me? Those are words that will bring tears to my eyes, flood gates open. I kept reading that over and over again. I 

find my own inspiration through your comments, your kindness, your honesty. 

Thank you. 

This piece is for sale on my website, www.theturquoiseiris.com.

I'm planning my next makeover. I can't wait to show you! If you missed the first two makeovers in this series, you can see them Here and Here.

~Dionne